Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[PJSprog]

It is EASY!
Every laborer is paid $1 per day to make everything, from the basic ingredient material used, to the finished product.

Pretty much. When I worked in the professional music electronics industry, the company I worked for built a small guitar amp that cost us $44 to build in St. Louis. When they went oversees, a Chinese company was building them and selling them back to us for $29 each ... a landed price that included shipping to a port in Seattle. They were able to do this because the facility there had two buildings; one was the factory, and the other next door was a giant apartment building. Everyone who worked at the factory lived next door. For their work, they essentially got an apartment, three meals a day, a clothing allowance, and a small amount of spending cash. We joked that they were building them for "a bowl of rice a day," but it was not too far from true.

Our production rate on those little amps was 60 units/hr off the line. I can only imagine what their production rate was over there.

 

[newbury]

Three thoughts:
1. Those itty-bitty HF snatch blocks are intended for getting your ATV unstuck, but NOT for situations where life and limb are at risk
2. For about $65 you can buy a real 1 ton rated snatch block that will be safer to use sand last for a lifetime.
3. Running your cable through a block will reduce the breaking strength of your line. About 20% for a 90 degree corner and 35% for a 180 degree fall-block like you describe.

Are you discussing the "4000 lb. Capacity Lifting Block" for about $7 or the Badland Snatch Block Load tested to 20,000 lb (currently $20 Harbor Freight Tools Coupon Database - Free coupons, 25 percent off coupons, toolbox coupons - SNATCH BLOCK )?

 

[dragoneggs]

Pretty much. When I worked in the professional music electronics industry, the company I worked for built a small guitar amp that cost us $44 to build in St. Louis. When they went oversees, a Chinese company was building them and selling them back to us for $29 each ... a landed price that included shipping to a port in Seattle. They were able to do this because the facility there had two buildings; one was the factory, and the other next door was a giant apartment building. Everyone who worked at the factory lived next door. For their work, they essentially got an apartment, three meals a day, a clothing allowance, and a small amount of spending cash. We joked that they were building them for "a bowl of rice a day," but it was not too far from true.

Our production rate on those little amps was 60 units/hr off the line. I can only imagine what their production rate was over there.

Times are a changing. My company bids some of our commercial product manufacturing to China and compares to in-house costs and with certain quality level expectations... the cost, factoring in shipping unless your demand requires a full container and you can afford the 6 month wait, is a push and not worth the risk. Yeah there is still Chinese junk made on dirt floors but quality product competing with US manufacturing isn't the cost gap people assume these days.

I visit China and other parts of Asia about 6 times a year. Mostly to sell but we also explore JV's, build to print opportunities, etc. Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are becoming players too.

 

[California]

...quality product competing with US manufacturing isn't the cost gap people assume these days.

I visit China and other parts of Asia about 6 times a year. Mostly to sell but we also explore JV's, build to print opportunities, etc. Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are becoming players too.

How is India doing? Competitive, in some fields?

 

[dragoneggs]

How is India doing? Competitive, in some fields?

Not to derail this thread... I can speak primarily to aerospace. India is not in the same league manufacturing wise compared to US/China. Maybe not too difficult to read the future, but they are still very dependent on agriculture and the services industry to drive their economy. Manufacturing is not their strength... yet! But that is part of their mission to raise their GDP per capita.

I have dealt with Tata Motors. They are one of the largest Indian companies and are big time in the auto industry. From my knothole, Tata and India as a whole, are struggling to get a significant foothold in high tech manufacturing despite their huge efforts in aerospace and a well funded space program. Just my two cents... circling back to getting quality at a competitive price. US and China are King.

Now back to the original programming...

 

[sodamo]

If I were offered 2 tools sight unseen, 1 made in India, 1 from Harbor Freight, I ‘d take the HF tool without hesitation. I had a Craftsman saw made in India - POC. Burnt up 2nd use.

 

[Threepoint]

Are you discussing the "4000 lb. Capacity Lifting Block" for about $7 or the Badland Snatch Block Load tested to 20,000 lb (currently $20 Harbor Freight Tools Coupon Database - Free coupons, 25 percent off coupons, toolbox coupons - SNATCH BLOCK )?

Was wondering that as well. Their large snatch block for $28 is supposedly tested at 20,000 lbs and 9mm cable. Doubt they would post that without confirmed data.

If I were offered 2 tools sight unseen, 1 made in India, 1 from Harbor Freight, I ‘d take the HF tool without hesitation. I had a Craftsman saw made in India - POC. Burnt up 2nd use.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I've head the larger the radius of the block, the less it stresses your cable. I've not seen anything "official" on that, however.

Some info on it:

http://www.gunnebojohnson.com/wp-content/uploads/Rigging-Combined1.pdf

 

[Threepoint]

Pretty much. When I worked in the professional music electronics industry, the company I worked for built a small guitar amp that cost us $44 to build in St. Louis. When they went oversees, a Chinese company was building them and selling them back to us for $29 each ... a landed price that included shipping to a port in Seattle. They were able to do this because the facility there had two buildings; one was the factory, and the other next door was a giant apartment building. Everyone who worked at the factory lived next door. For their work, they essentially got an apartment, three meals a day, a clothing allowance, and a small amount of spending cash. We joked that they were building them for "a bowl of rice a day," but it was not too far from true.

Our production rate on those little amps was 60 units/hr off the line. I can only imagine what their production rate was over there.

Coincidently, saw today that Gibson guitars just filed Ch. 11 to reorganize. Way over leveraged. Word is they plan to ease out of the electronic accessories like speakers, headphones, etc (amps?) and concentrate more on their excellent musical instruments, including Baldwin pianos. Didn't know they own Baldwin.

 

[John_Mc]

I've head the larger the radius of the block, the less it stresses your cable. I've not seen anything "official" on that, however.

Some info on it:
http://www.gunnebojohnson.com/wp-content/uploads/Rigging-Combined1.pdf

Thanks, Spyderlk. To make a long story short: using a pulley diameter of at least 16 times the wire rope diameter preserves 90% of the cable's strength under load.

So for the 3/8" cable on my logging winch, I should have a 6" pulley. My self-releasing snatch block is a bit smaller than that (I'm guessing 5"?), so I don't quite have 90% strength, but the cable is rated for a whole lot more than my winch can pull, so I'm probably still in good shape.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Thanks, Spyderlk. To make a long story short: using a pulley diameter of at least 16 times the wire rope diameter preserves 90% of the cable's strength under load.

So for the 3/8" cable on my logging winch, I should have a 6" pulley. My self-releasing snatch block is a bit smaller than that (I'm guessing 5"?), so I don't quite have 90% strength, but the cable is rated for a whole lot more than my winch can pull, so I'm probably still in good shape.

Im betting your logging winch abuses the cable much worse than a 6" pulley. -- Cable winding upon itself can become disorderly resulting in portions being more sharply flexed or pinched ... sometimes to the point of actually bending or crushing the cable form.

 

[John_Mc]

Im betting your logging winch abuses the cable much worse than a 6" pulley. -- Cable winding upon itself can become disorderly resulting in portions being more sharply flexed or pinched ... sometimes to the point of actually bending or crushing the cable form.

I've already had that happen so badly that I had to replace the cable. Usually I just get a mild wave in the cable from a poor wind that is put under tension. The secret to avoiding that is to never wind the cable in without tension on the line. If you have to do so, then unwind the cable well past the loose part and rewind it with tension before using it under load. Winding a cable under heavy load on top of loose wraps is a sure recipe for kinks and tangles.

The real damage I did to my cable was when it came off the self-releasing snatch block the wrong way and jammed between the pulley and the back plate. One of my two self-releasing blocks was prone to this - it has since been modified to prevent it from happening again. Normally, I would have just cut out the damaged part and shortened my cable. It's 230 feet long, and I rarely use the whole length. Unfortunately, this one happened almost exactly in the middle of the cable. Since I quite regularly go over 115 feet, I had to replace the cable.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I've already had that happen so badly that I had to replace the cable. Usually I just get a mild wave in the cable from a poor wind that is put under tension. The secret to avoiding that is to never wind the cable in without tension on the line. If you have to do so, then unwind the cable well past the loose part and rewind it with tension before using it under load. Winding a cable under heavy load on top of loose wraps is a sure recipe for kinks and tangles.

The real damage I did to my cable was when it came off the self-releasing snatch block the wrong way and jammed between the pulley and the back plate. One of my two self-releasing blocks was prone to this - it has since been modified to prevent it from happening again. Normally, I would have just cut out the damaged part and shortened my cable. It's 230 feet long, and I rarely use the whole length. Unfortunately, this one happened almost exactly in the middle of the cable. Since I quite regularly go over 115 feet, I had to replace the cable.

Good experience and deduction. I have noted some of these in my very limited use of winches.

The quandary I would face is judging when to replace, factoring useload safety factor against damage.​

. . . and CYCLES ​

 

[John_Mc]

Good experience and deduction. I have noted some of these in my very limited use of winches. The quandary I would face is judging when to replace, factoring useload safety factor against damage. . . . and CYCLES

This was so badly kinked it was obvious I had to replace it. It caused problems winding the cable, and would trigger my self-releasing snatch block to release every time the kink passed through the block.

 

[TheMan419]

Bought the 3 point quick hitch. Don稚 know how I lived without it. Over all quality seems good. A couple of complaints.

First the top link pin the send with it is junk. It is already bent after a few hours use. Looks like I値l have to cut it to get it out. Thankfully replacement part only a couple bucks.

Second (and this is not hf fault) I have a new bush hog and tiller. Neither of them will work without modification or the top link adapter. HF does not sell the adapter in store. Thankfully Rural King had one. That makes is a hair less convenient. However since I have to get off the tractor to hook up the pto no big deal.

Finally I added bushings to remove most of the slop.

Overall I am happy. I will frequently need to drop the bush hog so I can drag the arena. Also this will make it easier to grab the tiller when I want to use it as a counter weight in closer quarters than the bush hog will allow.

 

[aeblank]

Oh man, I use my HF QH all the time. Very thankful I have it. Took a couple small mods but well worth the time and effort.

 

[TheMan419]

Oh man, I use my HF QH all the time. Very thankful I have it. Took a couple small mods but well worth the time and effort.

Absolutely. I think if I really wanted to shaving the thickness of the top link hook would solve most of my problems. I may end up doing that but honestly the top link adapter is no big deal to me. It pushes the top back several inches. That can be fixed by adjusting the length of the top link.

 

[aeblank]

Absolutely. I think if I really wanted to shaving the thickness of the top link hook would solve most of my problems. I may end up doing that but honestly the top link adapter is no big deal to me. It pushes the top back several inches. That can be fixed by adjusting the length of the top link.

I narrowed my hook and used the hidden pins. Someone found an extended hook for like $20, which solves the problem too. The thing makes an implement change take 2 min instead of 20. So many times I wouldn't have bothered changing if I didn't have the QH.

 

[TheMan419]

I narrowed my hook and used the hidden pins. Someone found an extended hook for like $20, which solves the problem too. The thing makes an implement change take 2 min instead of 20. So many times I wouldn't have bothered changing if I didn't have the QH.

Yes even with using the adapter the change takes but a minute. My issue is lower back problems. If I am having lower back pain I would not even attempt to change. With this I can do it. PTO hook up will hurt, but is doable. Even when the back is not in spasm, for $100.00 it is a no brain decision.

 

[California]

There have been several threads about HF's QH and options/mods to make it even more useful.

Here's one that is going presently. It has some links to prior threads.